Turnbull says many prefer him to Abbott

Date: July 14 2013

Malcolm Turnbull says he knows many people would prefer he lead the Liberal Party rather than Tony Abbott, but that they should vote for the party anyway.

He ruled out having a tilt at the leadership, despite polls showing he was far more popular than the current opposition leader as the federal Labor government under Kevin Rudd closes the gap between the parties.

"There are a lot of people out there who would rather I was leading the Liberal Party; it is ridiculous to deny that that's not happening," he told the Nine Network's Financial Review Sunday.

"If they think I am a person of capability and quality and so forth, they should be comforted by the fact that I am part of that team in a senior leadership position.

"So if you are a Malcolm Turnbull fan rather than a Tony Abbott fan, you may prefer Malcolm ... I was in the top job rather than Tony: I will be up the top table."

If Mr Abbott were to be elected, it would not be as a president or dictator but first among equals in a traditional conventional cabinet government, he said.

He said there would not be a leadership change in the Liberals before the federal election this year.

Mr Turnbull led the Liberals and was Opposition Leader for more than 14 months before losing a leadership ballot to Mr Abbott by one vote in December 2009.

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